Mike Farrell advocates ending TIF

Mike Farrell has written an opinion piece suggesting that it is time to end the Morris TIF.

The Morris TIF district will expire in 2009, unless the school boards agree to an extension.

City officials are actively lobbying school superintendents for an extension.

Mr. Farrell's analysis recognizes the fact that TIF diverts money from our schools. Each year, according to Farrell, over $3,000,000 is diverted from other taxing districts into city coffers. The other taxing districts don't go without; the shortfall is simply made up in the form of higher taxes for every property owner in the district.

By refusing to extend TIF, school boards can improve the financial condition of their districts and bring about much needed tax relief.


Oak Park School Boards Demand Return of TIF Money

Lawsuit by Seneca school board halts TIF abuse

City raises taxes 11%

The Morris City Council has approved an 11% increase in city property taxes, as reported in this Morris Daily Herald article. City property taxes will increase by $187,589 to $1,961,500 - an 11% increase over the previous year.

(This isn't including the city's TIF tax, which adds $3,000,000 annually in hidden property taxes.)

City officials chant the misleading mantra that the tax rate has remained level, while imposing double-digit tax hikes on residents year after year.

According to alderman Jeff Paulson,

Your taxes (paid to the city) are going up because the value of your property has gone up,”

Really? Has the value of your home gone up by 11 percent over last year?

Well get out your wallet, because city property taxes just did.

Diamond Mayor to Village Council and Public: Butt Out!

Last week, the the Village of Diamond delayed approval of the final plat for the Morris Community Credit Union. The Courant explains the reason for the delay in this article.

Before considering the final plat, health and safety commissioner Donna Scholtes had asked for time to read the development agreement she would be approving. Although the agreement was in the planning and zoning office a few days prior to the regular meeting, Scholtes was unaware of it.

The commissioner brought up a timing issue with regard to the development agreements, which are not available to the Village Board until the time of final plat approval.

"When it gets to us, that's late in the game," Scholtes said. "We should not be seeing it at the end of negotiations."

Scholtes requested greater involvement in the development agreement process.

Sound reasonable? Not to mayor Ramme.

Diamond's system was explained by the Courant as this:

"Diamond's Mayor, Mike Ramme, determines when economic incentive is appropriate and negotiates terms with the developer along with lawyers from both parties.

The agreement is not available to the Zoning Board before it makes its recommendation; it is not available to the Village Board until it considers final plat; it is not available to the public until after it has been approved by the Village Board.

No public discussion is held regarding economic incentives."

Council members are not supposed to ask any questions, or excercise any independent judgment? Apparently, the mayor feels that council members should just vote in favor of whatever proposal is set in front of them, without reading it.

MDDP

The Morris Downtown Development Partnership is advertising an opening for a new executive director. This organization is funded primarily from tax dollars from the city of Morris. It's budget is spent largely on administrative expenses, including the director's salary. This is an ideal time to reconsider the usefulness of the MDDP, and whether continuing to fund this organization is the best use for our tax dollars.

City of Morris jeopardizes 20 union jobs

A company called Houston Roof Curbs and Sheet Metal wants to relocate its business to Morris. (Mike Farrell misspells the company name as Huston)

According to a Morris Daily Herald article, the company recently appeared before the Morris Development Review Committee seeking approval to construct a new metal building on Spruce Street behind Third avenue along the railroad tracks, on property properly zoned for manufacturing.

Houston would employ 20 union sheet metal workers at its proposed Morris facility.

You would think that Morris would welcome 20 new union jobs with open arms - maybe even offer incentives to lure them to our community. Instead, the city has subjected this company to the costly and useless process of begging for approval from the city's "Development Review Committee."

The Development Review Committee missed the opportunity to approve this proposal because "the M-1 ordinance requires new buildings to be constructed of brick or masonry" but the company budget only allows construction of a metal building.

Additionally, "several members of the Development Review Committee said they would like to see different colors and features of the exterior walls."

This is the same committee that dictated to Menards what sort of flowers should be planted at the new Morris store. Prospective developers of all sizes are required to pay the city $3,000 for the privilege of being subjected to this sort of spurious drivel from the committee.

Let's hope that it is not too late, and this company doesn't decide to instead move to Coal City, Seneca, or some other locality that does not subject prospective employers to the whims of this improvident and destructive committee.



Web site for Houston Roof Curbs and Sheet Metal, Inc.

Joliet Herald article